Welcome to Full House Reviewed, an exciting new blog in which every single episode of Full House is reviewed in chronological order.  The plan is to run a new review every week, just like a sitcom (except without season breaks or reruns~we’re running this thing straight through, baby!).

Some people who come across this blog may be wondering whether or not I’m a fan of the series, which is not a question I have a simple answer for.  Although I find myself watching Full House any time it happens to be on, I don’t think it’s a good show.  As a matter of fact, I think it’s a really awful show.  I wouldn’t go so far as to call it the worst sitcom of all time, but it’s probably the worst one to build as large a following as it did.  So why do I watch it?  Part of me is compelled by how bad it is, like when you can’t help but look at a car accident while you’re driving by.  Part of me is hooked on a sort of visceral reaction the show provokes.  There are so many obnoxious catch-phrases, hammy performances, and emotionally manipulative “touching” moments in every episode that I often experience flashes of rage or hysteria during a viewing.  Having watched this show for years, I almost wonder if I haven’t become addicted to these knee-jerk flashes of raw emotion.  So, I don’t know, it’s like drugs or something.  Finally, I just can’t believe this show exists.  Does anyone actually think it’s funny?  Everyone seems to remember watching this show, but I’ve never talked to one person who regards it as a quality program.  So why was it so popular?  Although I’ll keep this question in the back of my mind throughout  these upcoming reviews, I sincerely doubt myself or anyone else will ever be able to find an answer.

So let’s start off with a little history:  Full House ran from 1987-95 on ABC.  Initially it rated pretty poorly (go figure!), but soon found its place as the headliner of TGIF, ABC’s Friday night lineup of mind-numbing family entertainment.  Like many TGIF programs, it was produced by Miller-Boyett, who seemed to be farming out as many shows like this as they possibly could around this time.  Although they’d found success with earlier shows like Happy Days, Mork and Mindy, and even the more recent Perfect Strangers, Full House seems to mark the beginning of an era of soulless, cookie-cutter sitcoms that are plagued with moral lessons and obnoxious children.  I remember hearing that Full House was inspired by the success of the Tom Selleck comedy, 3 Men and a Baby, but I couldn’t find any solid evidence to support that with a quick google search, which is all I’m really willing to do.  I did, however, find out that 3 Men and a Baby was directed by Leonord “Spock” Nimoy.  I had no idea!

But I digress, and that’s probably enough for now anyway.  We’ll meet the cast in the next installment, a review of episode 1, “Our Very First Show” (what a brilliant name for a first show!). Stay tuned!